The Mirror of Justice

It is May day today, or Beltane today.

Beltane or Beltain is the Gaelic May Day festival. Most commonly it is held on 30 April-1 May, or halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. It was observed in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. In Irish it is Bealtaine , in Scottish Gaelic Bealltainn and in Manx Gaelic Boaltinn or Boaldyn. It is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals; along with Samhain, Imbolc and Lughnasadh.

The theme of this poem is Beltane fire, and is linked with the idea of justice as a consuming fire (which eagle eyed readers may spot draws upon Isaiah as well).

The Mirror of Justice

The Beltane fires burning bright
Here is scorching heat and light
As above, the sun grows strong
Days of Spring becoming long
The mirror of justice now behold
As Sun at Beltane does enfold.

We celebrate the heat of the sun,
Its consuming fire now just begun
The sun burns hot and very bright
As heat of the sun grows in might
So let justice burn within us now
A flame for righteousness we vow.

Just as straw is set on fire by spark
So a powerful people lost to dark
By their own evil deeds will be lost
Destroyed, for that is justice cost
Burns like a forest fire with smoke
Like a hollow, rotten, burning oak.

The wickedness of the people burns
Like a fire, that blows and turns
Destroys thorn bushes, thistles
Justice ends in false dismissals
Fire will burn, for justice, soon
And no evil will remain immune.

The axe is ready to cut the trees
At the roots, the moment seize
Every tree without good fruit
Will be cut down, of ill repute
Thrown onto consuming fire
This is the end of false desire.

Now is the time for vigilance
For justice comes, not in silence
But a raging fire in front of him
And a furious storm around him
This will be the judgement day
When injustice will have no say.